


Leaving

by txorakeriak



Category: Hornblower (TV), Hornblower - C. S. Forester
Genre: F/M, Implied Relationships, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-07-06
Updated: 2006-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:33:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27603553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/txorakeriak/pseuds/txorakeriak
Summary: Hornblower leaves theHotspurto spend New Year’s Eve with his wife. Bush doesn’t find it too difficult to let him go.
Relationships: Horatio Hornblower/Maria Mason, William Bush/Horatio Hornblower
Kudos: 1





	Leaving

„The boat’s ready, sir.“ 

Horatio Hornblower didn’t seem to have heard his First Lieutenant knock, as he only tore his gaze from the papers on his desk when William Bush was already standing in front of him, waiting for a sign of acknowledgement.

“Thank you, Mr Bush. I’ll be out presently.” The smile was, to Bush, weak at best. It was no secret that his captain would rather have gone on another mission off the coast of France, risking his life for king and country, than return home to his wife, his child and his mother-in-law. 

Bush could have said a lot of things just then. He could have told him that he would rather celebrate the arrival of the new year with his captain, with the man he had come to admire and cherish more than life itself. He could have said that he had never liked Maria Mason and never properly understood why Hornblower had married her. He could have tried to persuade Hornblower to stay on the _Hotspur_ with him by telling him a white lie about being needed. If anything failed, this never could.

There was only one reason Bush remained silent and held his tongue, and when he had left his captain’s cabin after a curt nod and closed the door, he wondered if Hornblower knew it, too.

In fact, he didn’t even begrudge Mrs Hornblower the presence of her husband at their family celebrations all that much. His position and his profession granted him a vital advantage of which she could only dream. 

He would be with the man he loved when it really mattered, when mere seconds decided life or death. He wouldn’t have to fear for Hornblower or pray for him to live, miles and miles away. He would be there to keep him alive.

It was only fair.


End file.
